CyanogenMod Android app store coming soon

The popular Android custom ROM known as CyanogenMod could soon benefit from its own application store, following the embracing of an idea suggested by one of the team members recently. Posting to his Google+ account, Koushik Dutta said an independent store would be a much-needed source of income for CyanogenMod, which is now active on more than a million Android phones.

But rather than offer the same old apps available through the official Android Market, the CyanogenMod store would be home to apps specifically suited to rooted Android phones, plus offer an outlet for those that have been refused access or have been removed from Google’s store.

For example, this would include applications that simplify the rooting process, games console emulators and apps that networks don’t approve of, such as those used for tethering. According to Dutta, the store would only contain legal apps, so shouldn’t provide safe-haven for apps removed from the Market due to security concerns.

The decision to open their own store comes after conversations with Amazon failed to progress to something meaningful. Originally, CyanogenMod toyed with the idea of bundling Amazon’s store with their custom ROM, in return for a cut of application revenue, but Amazon wouldn’t commit to a time frame.

Work has now begun of the CyanogenMod App Store, a name we’d assume won’t be attached to the final product, but it still looks to be early days judging by the screenshot.